


Protector

by jodles04



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Dad!Buck, Found Family, Minor Character Death, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, Multi, Pre-Slash, buck is trying his best not to upset anyone, firefam - Freeform, minor bobby nash/athena grant, no longer just a one shot, parental buddie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-13 10:22:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 21,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21492763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jodles04/pseuds/jodles04
Summary: He didn’t know who he could contact.Even though it had been months since he had returned to work, there was still an awkwardness that could not be cleansed. There had been a chill at the start, he had been confined to the station, knowing that his decision to reveal personal information to his lawyer had truly been a mistake. Eventually, the team went back to how they once were in the field, working together to save lives without hesitation. They would share meals, the comradery slowly showing once more.Outside of work, Buck felt alone.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz
Comments: 154
Kudos: 1403
Collections: 9-1-1 Tales





	1. Tears In Heaven

He didn’t know who he could contact.

Even though it had been months since he had returned to work, there was still an awkwardness that could not be cleansed. There had been a chill at the start, he had been confined to the station, knowing that his decision to reveal personal information to his lawyer had truly been a mistake. Eventually, the team went back to how they once were in the field, working together to save lives without hesitation. They would share meals, the comradery slowly showing once more.

Outside of work, Buck felt alone.

It was a self-imposed exile, a punishment he gave himself, as he attempted to cope with everything that had occurred over the past year. He found excuses to remove himself from events early or took additional shifts which were enough to cause exhaustion in anyone. His attempt to find himself reunited with his team - his family - had worked. Yet, the moment the hearing had ended, Buck had felt guilty about what had been used as ammunition. The only person he saw willingly was his sister. Maddie had been in his corner from the start, though she did not know how messed up his mind currently was.

“…Mr. Buckley, do you understand?”

A voice brought the young firefighter out of his muse. Blue eyes looked towards the doctor, standing with her own look of concern towards him. His head gave a small nod, almost unnoticeable unless someone truly watched before his eyes turned back to the new arrival which had changed his entire world. He had been leaving work when he received a call, asking him to come to the local hospital straight away. There had been no time to question the reason.

“Ms. Martin’s accident occurred whilst she was in active labor.” Buck attempted to listen, to ignore his own confusion. “On her arrival, we were able to successfully deliver the baby. There were no complications in regards to birth…”

Buck listened, though he was fixated at the unit in front of him. The only noise came from the beeping of the machines around them, the newborn having fallen asleep almost an hour before. Buck watched as the tiny chest rose gently, sleeping unaware of the world which had just become their new home. He couldn’t believe that Ali hadn’t reached out to him over the past months, that she hadn’t let him know that he was going to be a father, that he wouldn’t have gotten this moment until the events of that evening.

Now - everything was different.

Buck hadn’t expected to receive a call from a nurse a few moments after his shift, informing him that his ex-girlfriend had been involved in a car accident. Buck hadn’t expected to arrive at the hospital, to be told that she had passed away shortly after delivering a child. Buck hadn’t expected to be standing there, looking at their newborn daughter, conflicted and worried about what the future would look like. He was aware that life could change in a second. He had witnessed this first hand throughout his time working with the LAFD. His own had changed more than once over the past year. Buck sighed, looking back towards the newborn. 

She was precious.

Tiny, with blotchy pale skin and tufts of dark hair. The perfect combination of her parents, as she slept unaware that her little life had been disrupted the moment she entered the world. He wondered whether she would inherit his blue orbs or her mothers’ rich brown eyes. He wondered whether she would grow to resent him, seeing as he had no idea where to even start. Buck adored children. He loved spending time with Christopher, or hearing stories about Denny. That did not make him an automatic parent. His own childhood had been lonely. The age difference between himself and Maddie, with the fact that their parents were rather distant, meant that his sister had acted more of a parent towards him.

Buck reached out, gently stroking one of her hands.

“I’m going to protect you.” He whispered, his voice breaking through the silence. Ali had been taken from their daughter, which meant that it was his duty to ensure she was given the best life possible. The medical staff around them went to work with other cases, which left the two with each other, as the newest Buckley slept soundly. He needed someone, he needed to know what to do, to know how to cope with his entire life-changing once more in the space of a few minutes. He couldn’t call Maddie, she was at work and he didn’t want her to have to leave early because of him yet again. He couldn’t call Eddie, their relationship was still rocky, and he had Christopher to worry about. He couldn’t call Bobby, not wanting to disturb the already fragile relationship.

He didn’t want to bother anyone with another crisis. Buck let out a small sigh, as he reached out a stroked one of the tiny hands once more. The miracle in front of him needed his help, his focus. He would go to the chief in the morning, see if he could take some time without explaining the reasons, and try to cope before the rest of his team were sucked in. He just hoped that he didn’t screw up the little girl’s life before she had a chance to leave the hospital and see the world for the first time. Slowly, a true smile appeared, as he looked upon his daughter once more. For the first time in his life, he had someone else that needed him.

He blocked everything else away.

The lull of the machines and the tiredness of work that day caused him to drift in the plastic seat next to where his newborn daughter slept.


	2. Wonderland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Movement caught his attention, and Buck turned his head. A small smile broke through, as he watched his daughter - his daughter - move slightly in her sleep. Buck couldn’t believe how much love he had for something so small, as he stood up, standing over her little bed protectively. 

_ He was drowning. _

_ He tried to move his arms, to move his legs through the water. They were as heavy as lead, he was unable to reach the surface. He gulped, no breath left within him. He knew that he needed to try and breakthrough. Christopher. He needed to find the young boy, to reach him, to bring him to safety. Water filled his lungs. He knew the effects on drowning - his larynx would fall into spasms, the effect would be permanently damaging. _

_ The surface felt miles away. It slowly faded out of view. _

_ He had failed Christopher. _

_ He had failed Eddie. _

_ He had - _

Buck woke with a jolt. For a moment there was confusion about his surroundings. The beeping grabbed his attention, the events from the previous day flooded back. As he reached for his cell, the glare of the screen told him he had been asleep for a few hours. It had been months since he had slept without nightmares, slept more than just a few hours at a time. Buck let out a small sigh, as he stretched out, trying to remove the knots which had formed from sleeping in the hard chair. 

Movement caught his attention, and Buck turned his head. A small smile broke through, as he watched his daughter - his _ daughter _\- move slightly in her sleep. Buck couldn’t believe how much love he had for something so small, as he stood up, standing over her little bed protectively. 

“Would you like to feed her?”

He was startled by the new voice. He spotted the nurse - Jem, from her colorful name tag - who came closer. Buck remembered seeing her briefly before he fell asleep. He didn’t want to wake her, she looked truly peaceful. However, he knew that the medical staff were there, and would know exactly how to help the baby. Buck had been around a few babies in his time as a firefighter, he couldn’t remember any newborn be so quiet before without it being a concern. As if she had read his mind, Jem (who had been completing checks) spoke up in a low tone. 

“She’s one of the calmest newborns I have looked after,” Jem said, as she carefully marked something down on the chart. “She stirred once, while you were asleep, but it was almost as if she knew you needed rest.” She looked towards the new father. “Unfortunately it won’t last. Even the calmest of newborns make their presence known once they find their home.”

Buck let out a half-laugh. 

“My sister says that I was trouble from the start,” Buck said, recalling Maddie’s stories of his childhood. The ten year age difference between brother and sister had always been obvious. Maddie had fond memories of him as a baby, as a toddler, which many other siblings would not recall. “Clearly she is taking after - “

He broke off.

The truth was he had no idea about Ali’s, or how she would have been. In the few months they had been together, they had learned very little about each other. Buck only knew that her parents had died a few years before the earthquake and that she had a brother she rarely spoke with. He had snippets of information about her past from comments, knew that her love of art had been a trait from her maternal grandmother, yet nothing that could assist in raising a child. 

As if she had read his thoughts, the nurse made a comment of her own. “It may sound redundant, I am truly sorry for your loss,”.

“We weren’t together. I didn’t even know about the baby.” Buck said, words forming before he could stop them. “I want to feel angry. To ask her why she didn’t tell me…” He couldn’t feel anger towards someone who wasn’t there. “I don’t know what I feel.”

Buck wanted to believe that he could face anything. Over the past year, he had been trapped by a fire truck, suffered through months of surgeries and physical therapies, broken up with his girlfriend, experienced a pulmonary embolism, lived through a tsunami, attempted to sue his family, and survived during the coldness from the said family once he had returned. Buck wanted to believe that he was strong, even though he had nothing prepared. The apartment in which he lived was not suitable for a baby, he had nothing brought, he hadn’t taken any classes to ready himself. 

Had Ali already prepared a nursery? Clearly, she would have, but it would feel wrong for him to use anything from there. Buck felt completely out of his depth. Jem had finished with her checkup, satisfied that the baby was progressing well. She placed a hand of comfort on his shoulder, which broke Buck from his thoughts. 

“I have two children myself. My younger daughters' birth was traumatizing for everyone involved, but she was a fighter. She’s about to start kindergarten. I cannot begin to understand how you are feeling, Mr. Buckley. I can, however, tell you that you have helped bring a fighter of your own into the world. You have a little time to arrange everything for once you can take her home. We’ll be here, any questions or concerns you just need to ask.” She smiled, one of comfort and trust-building. “I’ll go and prepare what we need for her feed. Although, Mr. Buckley in my experience, you will complete one of the hardest parts of parenthood before you leave the hospital.”

Buck looked towards her in confusion. “What do you mean?”

The nurse just laughed. “She needs a name.” 

As she disappeared, Buck turned back to the little girl. She kicked out her legs, small movements that indicated to Buck she was still there with him. He wondered if Ali had chosen any names. He wondered if she had decided to even raise their daughter - whether she had planned to give her to anyone else. Buck knew that he would never find this out. He couldn’t ask her, all he could do was ensure that their daughter was protected. 

“A name?” He questioned, speaking to the little girl quietly. She moved again, and he wanted nothing more than to wrap her in his arms from the outside world. “I… you know, your Aunt Maddie used to read me her books. I used to pretend to hate them, would tell her that I was old enough to read for myself. Secretly? I enjoyed the attention she gave me. Your grandparents, well, let’s just say I was a surprise.” Maddie had always been closer to their parents. Buck knew that was why he had been so drawn towards Bobby, considered him a father-figure as such. The man had been the first person to provide actual parental attention towards him, even if it had been unintentional. “They were always old, written before even our grandparents were born. Maddie loves the classics.”

He tested a few names mentally. The clocked ticked by, and before he knew it, a name had sprung to mind. For many parents, it took months of books, suggestions, and arguments to decide a moniker for their newborn. For Evan Buckley, there was only one choice. A book he would listen too, a book he would ask his sister to read more than once. About a young girl who traveled to a mysterious land, where not everything was as it seemed. 

“Your Aunt Maddie always loved the idea of running to wonderland. She used to tell me we would go together, leave our parents behind.” He closed his eyes for a moment. They were not who he wanted to think about at that moment of time. “So, how about Alice?” 

The newborn - who had awoken partway through the story - kicked out her legs. Buck took this has a good sign, and mentally thanked his sister for her attention as a young boy. 

And thus, Alice Buckley was officially born. 

( - - - )

He didn’t want to leave the hospital. 

The nursing staff had helped him, as he had cared for Alice. He had held babies before, he had been around them, babysat them. It was different when the child in question was your own. Buck felt as though all prior knowledge he had somehow disappeared. He was grateful for the support, as he accepted his role as the only caregiver in Alice’s life. Her birth - although traumatic for Ali - had left no scars on the newborn. They wanted to release her, to allow Buck and his daughter to exit into the world together. 

The thought terrified him. 

He had nothing at home that could support a child. The apartment was only just large enough for him, let alone adding another body to the situation. Buck had switched his cell to silent after speaking to his chief that morning. The guilt he had felt bypassing his own captain still grated within his gut. Buck was adamant that he did not want his team to find out, not until he could prove that he could cope. Buck was not a complete idiot. He knew that his team still saw him as incapable at times. That had become evident during his own stupidity with the lawsuit. For once, Buck wanted to show them that he could cope in a non-work related crisis without causing them any unnecessary stress. 

Buck left the room, leaving Alice with the nursing staff, as he walked towards a quiet area to make a phone call. He brought out his phone and noticed that no one had contacted him. He had only used his cell once since being at the hospital, to contact the department to ask for emergency leave. He was certain that word would have gotten to Bobby by now after he hadn’t arrived for his shift. He felt a pang of sadness that the man who had thought of as a father hadn’t tried to get in touch. At that point, he would even accept the man’s fury at the youngest member of the 118 for going over his head to get leave. 

Clearly, he was no longer important, he was replaceable as he had thought when Bosko had tapped over his name. 

Entering his contact list, Buck hovered over Eddie’s name. 

He had missed him so much. The connection they had made after the bomb incident had been one Buck had never felt before. It had once felt as though the two could act and react without words. Buck always knew the steps Eddie would make, he would always know how to bring him back from the edge. That had cooled, he only remembered the shouting at the grocery store, how broken he had felt afterward. Then there was Christopher, and it practically broke Buck’s heart to be absent from that boy’s life. He shook his head, before scrolling once more. He hadn’t wanted to contact his sister, to burden her with another problem. However, Evan Buckley had always needed her during his childhood. Even though he was twenty-eight, even though he was now a _ father _, he doubted that would actually go away. 

_ No _ , _ not this time. _

He put the phone away once more. 

It was time for Evan Buckley to stand on his own two feet for the first time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am overwhelmed by the love I have received from you all. I posted a one-shot, thinking it would get a few views, and that would be done. Instead, you have all inspired me to write a little more. It's gonna be a crazy ride. Thank you all once more. 
> 
> This chapter was beta'd by the amazing EndlessWriter03.


	3. Miracle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He allowed himself a moment to compose himself as he embraced his daughter, silently promising her the world.

_ “Are you still not talking to me?” _

_ The seventeen-year-old walked into the room of her seven-year-old brother. There was a small body-shaped mound underneath the blue covers. She rolled her eyes, as she sat down at the edge, letting it dip slightly. She poked at various points on the lump, which issues a few quiet laughs, which the boy attempted to hide.  _

_ “So you are alive under there,” Maddie said, as she pulled down the top. Her brother attempted to bring the covers back up, failing as his sister kept her grip. He shot her a glare (as menacing as a child could try to actually send) as she slowly slid up in the bed. His hair stuck up at various angles, which Maddie attempted to smooth down. “You have to talk to me, Evan. I can’t help you if you don’t tell me.” _

_ “Why do you even care?” Evan asked, pouting and trying not to cry. “You’re gonna leave.” _

_ “It’s just college, Evan. I’m not even leaving for a year!” Maddie replied, moving to sit next to him completely. She wrapped one of her arms around his shoulders. Eventually, he scooted back to snuggle into her side. “I won’t even be leaving you for that long. I plan on staying nearby, so I can visit you every weekend. That’s why I only applied to nearby schools.” _

_ “But what if you don’t wanna come back?” _

_ Maddie ran her fingers through his hair.  _

_ “Want to know what I want to write my essay about?” She watched as he nodded. “About how much I adore being your big sister.” _

_ Evan smiled, closing his eyes and leaning into her shoulder. Maddie pressed a kiss into his locks of hair, as she worried whether he would be okay without her there constantly. Without their parent’s attention, she had taken it upon herself to ensure that he was well protected. She knew that she needed to go to college - that she wanted to become a nurse, to help others.  _

_ Yet - holding her brother seven years ago for the first time had caused her to realize that he was a miracle.  _

( - - - )

Miracle. 

Buck had been called that by his sister once before. She had explained to him - just before the first night she spent away in dorms - that from the moment she had held him for the first time she had been smitten. He had always wondered what he would feel if he were to hold his own child. He had never expected the fact he would know so soon. 

Sitting in the hospital, Buck held his daughter in his arms. He cradled her head gently, his arms lose around her, but also tight enough to keep her safe. He attempted not to release any of the tears which had formed, upon finally being able to cradle the most precious person who had entered his life so suddenly. His attempt failed, just as his attempted has in the past (watching the military official and his daughter reunite at the school concert came to mind). 

Buck knew that he needed to leave the hospital soon, to arrange everything he would need once they left. There had been no communication from his so-called work family, which Buck took to mean he truly was no longer considered part of them. It stung, although the silence from his sister was truly the worst part of everything. He refused to reach out, he had made the decision to step up for himself. Even if he knew he needed help, he was stubborn and refused to ask in case they rejected him. 

Them. 

Buck looked down, examining his daughters’ features. It would no longer just be ‘him’. Eddie had once told him that he had used ‘I’ a lot during his apologies. He vowed that would no longer happen. There was now a new Buckley, who needed him more than anyone else. Buck could not be the version of himself which had arrived in LA all those years ago, looking for nothing more than a warm body pressed against for a night. He was now a father - a title he had long thought would not be possible. He allowed himself a moment to compose himself as he embraced his daughter, silently promising her the world. 

( - - - )

There had been a reluctance to leave the hospital. 

Buck had spent three days there, refusing to leave his newborn’s side. The medical team had eventually relented after the first twenty-four hours, knowing that Buck could not be moved. Eventually, the combined efforts of two of the nurses (Jem, and one of her older colleagues who had three teenage sons) had forced him from his position next to her crib. 

_ ‘You need to go home. Shower. Change.’ Jem had stated, as she had practically shoved him from the room. ‘Alice will be in our care. Besides, I am certain you need to arrange somewhere for her to sleep.’ _

He had no idea where to start. Buck knew that he would need at least the basics, to see him through until he could figure out his finances, and actually research how to look after a newborn child. He was determined to succeed, in a way he had not felt since he had to complete his recertification a few months before. Returning to his apartment, Buck felt a wave of troubled emotions. There were no signs that anyone had tried to see him, another indication that he had been forgotten by those he cared most about in the world. 

Time past by while the firefighter drenched himself in the shower and then walked down the stairs whilst pulling on a clean sweater. There was a duffle bag packed, filled with supplies he would need over the next couple of days. Buck hoped that visiting a couple of local stores that specialized in newborns and toddlers would help him feel less… hopeless. There was still every urge within him to break down to see his team and ask them for assistance. With the situation between them all still so delicate, Buck did not want to add another element that could cause it to break completely. 

He needed to show everyone that he could cope without leaning on them. They all had their own lives. Their own families outside of work. For the first time, he felt as though he would now have a purpose from the moment his shift ended. Reaching for his phone, Buck knew there was still one person who could help him through everything. One person who would be on his side, and help him figure out what he needed to do. Although he was resigned to complete this alone, he was also terrified he would make a mistake.

“Hey, Carla… are you free?”

And suddenly, the idea of spending the next four days attempting to arrange things no longer seemed like a daunting task.

( - - - )

Howie ‘Chimney’ Han never believed that he would see the role of acting captain so soon after his first stint. A virus had spread out amongst the families of the 118 fire crew who served under Captain Nash, causing a lot of disturbance over the week. Chimney, Eddie and Hen had remained unscathed at first, arriving for a shift a week prior to being told by the night captain that Bobby and Buck had both called out. 

It had started - as always - with a gathering at the Grant/Nash residence. Unknown to the adults of the house, Harry had been feeling unwell for a day or so. Unwilling to tell his mom or step-father, he had kept quiet. Harry had wanted to see Denny and Christopher, the three had a planned video game battle to keep. This meant that it was no surprise when May fell sick, followed by Bobby in the days after. 

Maddie had been the next to fall, messaging Chimney soon after he had found out about Bobby and Buck, telling him to stay away from her for the next few days. During the same shift, Hen had been messaged by Karen to say that both she and Denny were having a movie-sick day. Soon after, Eddie had been contacted by Christopher’s school to say the boy needed to be sent home. 

Each member of the 118 had been so focused on their respective families or responsibilities, they had not stopped to consider the one enigma within the situation. Buck had not been at the gathering, having told the hosts that he already had other plans. The firehouse was quiet with temporary staff brought in to help the remaining family members who were still standing. 

As the week slowly came to a close, the virus subsided, and those affected returned to a state of normality. 

Which was, of course, the reason why everything would soon turn. 

( - - - )

“Feeling better, Cap?” Hen’s voice caught Bobby’s attention as he walked into the building. He smiled, thankful to be back at work. Chimney followed her, throwing a hand on Bobby’s shoulder as a greeting. 

“It’s good to be back,” Bobby replied, “pleased to see the firehouse didn’t burn down during my absence,” he joked as the three walked together. 

“Captain Han made a glorious return! Did you have any doubts?” Chim chimed in, with Hen rolling her eyes. A snort came from behind them. Eddie stood there in his civilian clothes, having spent most of the week with his son. “You wound me.” 

“How are the kids, Cap?” Eddie asked. “Christopher went back to school today. He’s spent most of the week trying to convince me that ice cream is a healing force. I blame Buck for that, actually.”

Bobby let out a laugh, though his mind flashed to his own children for a moment. He could remember Robert and Brook having the same argument, and usually, they would eventually win. His heart pounded for a moment at the thought of his beloved family, pleased there were fond memories which he could find amongst the darkness. 

“Both are back in school today. May spent the week blaming Harry, who tried his luck in spending the week in front of video games.” Bobby replied, recalling the argument between his wife and stepson. “Athena put a stop to that thought.”

Hen chuckled. Athena had been the only member of the house not to suffer. It seemed that even a virus did not want to battle with the unbeatable force that was Athena Grant Nash. 

“Has anyone heard from Buck?” Bobby added as he realized the youngest member of the team was nowhere to be seen. 

“I thought he would be here,” Eddie said, looking back towards the entrance. It was no secret the two had not been on the same wavelength for a while. He had spent the time looking after Christopher knowing he wanted that to change. Chris had asked for Buck during the last week, and it broke him knowing that he couldn’t just call the other man. He desperately wanted to try and find a way to fix the distance that had been created. 

As the group parted ways, Bobby moved into his office. He didn’t want to think about the emails and messages he would have missed during his impromptu leave. The station was full of movement outside his office door. His crew getting ready for the shift ahead as they caught up with each other whilst working. Bobby took a sip of coffee, wincing at the number of emails that had stocked up during his absence. 

The subject of one caught his attention. Bobby clicked ‘Buckley - emergency leave granted’ quickly, skimming through the paragraph from the office of the chief. It was then his phone sounded, as she absentmindedly accepted the call. Before he could give a greeting, the voice of his wife echoed around the room. 

“Hon, is Buck around?”

Something was wrong. He could hear the concern in her voice, he had heard it several times alone over the past year when it came to the youngest member of the 118. 

“No. He’s been out all week, Chim thought he was sick.” Bobby paused for a moment. “I just found a notice that he’s been given emergency leave. Do you need him?”

He heard a sigh. 

“I just found out that Ali Martin died in a car accident a week ago.” She said, and Bobby froze. “I thought the name sounded familiar, so I looked into her further. She’s….”

“...Buck’s ex-girlfriend.” The two voices spoke at the same time.

“There’s more,” Athena said. “If my gut is right, that boy is gonna need our support.”

( - - - )

As Bobby and Athena spoke across the city, Buck watched as the pediatrician completed his final checks. The week had been stressful, not knowing when Alice would be deemed suitable to be released into his care. He remained close to her bed, a protective stance which he had perfected, deciding to take no chances when it came to the child he helped to create. He watched as the doctor took a step back, and marked a few things onto the chart. 

“Alice is ready to go home.” He stated, sending a bolt of fear through Buck. This had been the outcome he had prayed for - and also the outcome which he had dreaded. As if he was providing a signal of distress, a hand appeared on his shoulder and squeezed gently.

“It’s gonna be fine, Buckeroo,” Carla said, “we’ve got this.”

( - - - )

Athena Grant had a sixth sense when it came to her family. It had always been there, developing since she was a child. The moment she had become a mother, she found that she had nurtured her abilities, which allowed her to focus during both her full-time roles - as a police officer, and (more importantly) as a mother. There had been a feeling within her gut for the past week. Given the fact that her children, her husband, and her ex-husband had all become ill, she had ignored the sensation. 

They were all on the mend, but the feeling had not left. 

It hadn’t been until she had overheard two officers speaking about the fatal collision a week before she finally understood why. The name sounded familiar to the police sergeant, and the reason had caused her to contact her husband straight away. The fact of the matter was that her husband had entered the marriage with more than memories and love for his first wife and their children. It was a routine joke that Bobby and Buck shared a pseudo father and son based relationship, though both denied this. Athena had seen how distressed Bobby had been upon finding out about the lawsuit. 

“Sorry, I got caught in traffic.” Athena stood at the entrance of Buck’s apartment block, as Bobby arrived and the two shared a brief kiss. “Chimney’s spoken to Maddie. She hasn’t heard from Buck all week. She and Hen tried to call him, no answer.”

Bobby was certain he had also seen Eddie with his cell in his hands but hadn’t dwelled on the fact. He had been itching to get the two to work through their issues for almost a month. After Athena’s call, he had spoken to his team straight away. He had not mentioned about Ali, instead, he had asked if anyone had spoken to Buck. When they had discovered no one had thought about him - wrapped up in their own lives for the past week - he had made an excuse and left. He knew that Chimney, Hen, and Eddie would know something was amiss, but he was yet to find out the full extent of what was wrong. Bobby looked at the apartment entrance, and let out a small sigh. 

“Are you ready?” Athena said, placing a hand on his arm in comfort. The two wandered in towards the elevators, both praying that they would be welcomed, neither knowing what would await them when they reached the correct floor. They rode the elevator in comfortable silence, eventually reaching the apartment and knocking. 

No response. 

The two shared a look of concern. 

“Buckeroo?” Athena knocked again, the use of his nickname slipping out in a concerned tone. The silence was obvious. There were no signs of anyone being within the apartment. No sounds of movement, no sounds of music, no sounds of life. 

“He moved out.”

The two turned, facing a neighbor who had just exited their own apartment. 

“Moved out?” Bobby repeated, disbelief dripping in his tone.

“Saw him a couple of days ago speaking to the landlord. He’s canceled his lease, I don’t know if he plans on returning.”

Athena and Bobby looked back towards the apartment, then at each other. There was only one thought on each of their minds. 

Where the hell was Evan Buckley?

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta'd by the amazing EndlessWriter03. 
> 
> So, another angsty chapter. This is where the 'misunderstandings' tag really is in play. How much does Athena actually know? 
> 
> Next Chapter Title: - We Need to Talk About Evan.


	4. We Need To Talk About Evan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maddie Buckley knew that there was a situation from the moment Chimney had called her.
> 
> What had her brother gotten himself into this time?

Maddie Buckley knew that there was a situation from the moment Chimney had called her. She had spent ten minutes attempting to get through to her baby brother, before finding her way to the firehouse, redialing on her handsfree throughout her journey. Since she had moved to LA, the two had promised to never be out of touch with the other. It had been Buck’s idea, and Maddie had agreed knowing how difficult her absence in his life had been. There was fear sinking into her chest, as she walked from her now parked car into the station, Chimney waiting at the bottom of the stairs for her. He brought her into an embrace. 

“What’s going on?” She asked, wondering if he would have found anything else in the time she had taken to get there. She could tell that the moment after she had asked, the response would be negative. 

“We thought Buck called in sick last week. Bobby called out, we just thought Buck had caught the same thing,” Chimney started, keeping his girlfriends attention. “Then Bobby suddenly comes out of his office asking about Buck. When we realised that no one had heard from him all week, Bobby left. I never thought to question it.”

“He wasn’t at the gathering.” Maddie said, as she thought back to when she last actually saw her brother. Had it really been more than a week? She remembered calling him the day before they all met up, him telling her he had other plans. When had the two spent time together? They had all even spoke about her brother, questioning the fact he had been keeping his distance. She tried to call his cell again, sighing at the sound of his irritating voicemail message. “Bobby didn’t say anything else before he left?”

Chimney shook his head, and Maddie fell into his side. 

What had her brother gotten himself into this time?

( --- )

Eddie Diaz had always prided himself on staying in control, at least, to those who did not truly know him. When Shannon had left, he ensured that he remained composed to his son. The boy had already lost his mother, he had needed to see his father breaking down as well. When Shannon had been lost to them both, he had attempted to remain strong once more. This was a pattern, which had slowly eaten away at his core. 

His father had always taught him to remain strong, and to face the world no matter what was thrown at him. Instead, he had somehow taught his son that it was not okay for him to come to him about his grief, had almost killed another man, and now he had lost sight of his friendship with the man who had become his best friend upon moving to LA. 

There had always been  _ something  _ between the two of them. 

Eddie did not know how to describe what that something truly was. Buck had seemingly hated him the moment they had met. All it had taken was near death whilst pulling out a grenade, and Buck had become an honorary member of the Diaz household. Hadn’t he been the one to introduce him to Carla? Hadn’t he been the one who ensured that Christopher was safe during the tsunami? Hadn’t he been the one who had attempted to find his son, even though he had been injured and was exhausted?

There had been no communication between the two of them in weeks, other than when it came to their work. Eddie had longed to bridge the gap between them but had no idea what to say. Buck had acted rashly with the lawsuit, but Eddie knew he had also acted rashly by not being there to support him in the weeks prior. Now no one had been in contact with the man for a week, and he wasn’t answering their calls.

Hundreds of questions were rushing through his mind.

Why had Bobby been worried?

Why had Bobby rushed out of there without any further word?

Why wasn’t Buck answering their calls?

Had something happened to him?

Eddie could feel his frustration and anger mix together. Knowing he owed it to those he loved not to return to the fighting ring, he moved towards the work gym instead. There was a punching bag ready to attack, until they knew more about the situation. 

\- - -

Bobby Nash was concerned. Standing by his car, watching his wife speaking with the landlord for Buck’s building, he had tried to contact their wayward kid. The phone had inevitably gone to voicemail, though he did not leave another message. He had never known it this difficult to get a hold of him, not in recent months at least. There had been times when he had first started at the 118 he would go radio silent, usually when he had found someone to hook up with. Bobby knew that he was no longer that person. The last time Bobby had suffered this silence (before the law suit) it had been after he had told Buck about being on restricted duties, after his embolism. 

Athena walked back towards the road, her face unreadable. Bobby didn’t need to read her expression to know she was worried. They were the caregivers, the ones who wanted to ensure that everyone around them had everything they needed.

“Landlord said he paid rent until next month,” Athena said. “He hasn’t fully moved out. Plans to get his furniture by the end of this month. He hasn’t left a forwarding address.”

“You think Ali…” he broke off, as Athena just nodded. “... I hate that he didn’t think he could call me.”

Athena brought her husband into an embrace. 

“If we are right, then Buck is gonna need us,” Athena said quietly. “Let’s find him. We can show him he is family. Then kick his arse for making us worry about him.”

Bobby hadn’t told the team about the police sergeants’ suspicions. Athena had been told that Ali had passed, after delivering a full-term baby. With the timeline of when Ali and Buck had broken up, Bobby knew that would have made Ali at least a month pregnant when it occurred. He had been there the day after Buck had ended their relationship, supporting him in another session of physical therapy. Surely, if Ali had told Buck about the baby, he would have told them during the last few months? Or had they all been so blinkered that he hadn’t felt as though he could come to them?

“We keep this between us,” Athena told him. “If we are right, if Buck is now a  _ father _ , he deserves to tell everyone himself.”

\- - -

Henrietta “Hen” Wilson had grown attached to the loveable dog-like firefighter rather soon into him starting with the 118. Even though she had joked with Bobby about getting a dalmatian, Hen could see he had a heart. That wasn’t to say that he had not been infuriating when they had started to work together. She had felt for him when Bobby had fired him, though knew he had deserved that kick, which meant that he had come back with something to prove. 

When Bobby had asked whether they had heard from him, she knew there was something to be concerned about. She had tried to call him, only for that to go unanswered. Then she had looked through to see when she last tried to get in touch with him. Her heart dropped, seeing that she hadn’t made the first call to him in what looked like weeks. When had their friendship gotten one-sided? Had she really let their friendship slide without noticing? 

“Maddie’s making coffee,” Chimney said, as he walked into the locker room where Hen was sitting. “No answer still?”

Hen shook her head. 

“When did we stop thinking about him?” Hen asked her best friend. “Last week, I messaged ‘Thena. I even messaged Eddie to get an update on Christopher. I never even thought to speak with Buck, to question who would look after him, with Maddie being ill.”

She broke off, and Chimney let out a sigh. She knew that he was feeling just as guilty as she was. He had been the one to look after Maddie, and if anyone should have thought about the youngest Buckley, he felt as though it should have been him. 

“He hasn’t been to a get together in months.” Hen said after a few moments of silence. “At first, I thought he was still blaming himself over the lawsuit. I thought that he would come around, know that we forgive him. You wanna know what Denny asked me last week? Whether we were still friends with Buck. I should have thought about messaging him then, but I didn’t. My own son noticed something was wrong before I did.”

Hen and Chimney knew how much the children of the 118 adored Buck. Long before Christopher had adopted him as “his Buck”, Harry and Denny both had spent time with him. He had also been known to speak with May, to make sure she was sane with just the younger boys there when they were hanging as a team. 

“Bobby looked concerned,” Chimney said, as Hen slowly nodded in agreement. “I saw that look after Halloween. When Bobby got a phone call at the end of shift, just as we were leaving. We thought something had happened to Athena or the kids, then we found out the next shift he had found out Buck had been injured.”

“He can deny it all he wants, but Bobby cares about that kid.” Hen replied. “I hadn’t known he was still Buck’s emergency contact until then. I knew he had been when he first started, but Maddie…”

“... they had an argument about that. It was the first Buckley argument I witnessed.” Chimney winched as he remembered the apartment that day. “Buck claimed that he didn’t want Maddie to be the first to know if he had been injured. Bobby was the best choice as a point of contact. Truth is, I think that Buck latched onto Bobby as a father-figure when he arrived, and he doesn’t want to let go.”

Hen knew that her friend was correct. 

“Has Maddie ever told you about their parents?”

Chimney shook his head. 

“Every story about Buck’s childhood has always involved Maddie as more than just his older sister. They didn’t come when Buck was in the hospital, Maddie has only ever said they rarely speak. They certainly aren’t close.”

Chimney had come to know there were certain topics not to bring up with Maddie. The Buckley parents had become one of those topics, and he wished that he knew more. They two fell silent, as they wondered whether Bobby would return soon, with news on what had happened to Buck. 

\-- -

Carla Price had worked in healthcare for as long as she had been married. She had long learned the most important lesson - never bring your work home with you. It was clear that she had long broken that rule when it came to Evan Buckley. From the moment she had seen him with Abby and Patricia, to the moment she had been contacted by him to help Eddie, Carla knew the boy had a heart of gold. It was for that reason she had broken the most cardinal rule. 

There had been no way that she would have allowed him to return to his apartment. The stairs alone were enough to cause her a mini panic attack. Carla knew that he was still healing from his injury with his leg, even if he tried to avoid speaking about it. He could recertify himself, but Carla knew that if anything happened with his leg whilst he was carrying Alice, he wouldn’t forgive himself. 

Buck had broken down in telling her what his current viewpoint was. He believed that he didn’t have anyone who he could turn too. He felt alone, even more so knowing that he would have to tell his family about Alice soon. He felt that they would judge him, that they would believe he couldn’t cope. Carla had brought the both of them with her, so that he could arrange a new apartment. Her husband had turned their garage into a small apartment for their daughter a few years before. She was now settled in Boston, which meant they were empty. It would be the perfect space for Buck and Alice so Carla could keep an eye on them, so he could arrange a suitable apartment - and so she could work a little magic to bring his family back together. 

Carla knew that her boy belonged with Eddie and Christopher, a part of their family even if he couldn’t see this. So, she would be there for him, until he came to the same realizations. Unbeknownst to Buck, she had promised Abby that she would watch out for him before she left. 

It was a promise she vowed to keep. 

\- - -

_ (many months before) _

_ Positive.  _

_ The three tests each bore similar signs, coming to the same conclusion. She had brought different makes, just to ensure there could be no fault with one off them. A single test coming to the positive conclusion could be seen as a mistake. Three? It was clear that fate was not going to be on her side on that day.  _

_ It had been a month since they had broken up.  _

_ She had felt it coming for a month before, with the distance that had been forming. He had been so focused on his physical therapy. She had been worried, petrified that he would be hurt once more. He spoke, she listened, coming to the same conclusion - they were not meant to be. She had focused on her career since that moment, flying across America to stay away from LA.  _

_ Was this meant to be a sign of karma?  _

_ She sunk back against the hotel sofa. She had never actually considered children, not before she had become successful. Her own parents passing had left a hole within her, one that had yet to truly heel. Yet, she could not even consider the other options which were there for women in this predicament. They were valid options, but she couldn’t see herself going through with anything but carrying full term.  _

_ Ali Martin closed her eyes. She tried to forget that the tests were there, even though she could already tell her body was changing. She knew that she needed to tell Buck. She knew that he had a right to know he was going to be a father.  _

_ She would. _

_ When the time was right.  _  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am blown away at everyone comment, kudos, bookmark and everything else. You inspire me to write more, to focus, and to just have fun with my words. I am so thankful for every bit of feedback, for love and just for you all. 
> 
> So, this chapter was to bring a little insight into the characters we haven’t really seen yet. Don’t worry, Buck and Alice will be back in the next chapter. 
> 
> This chapter has been looked over by a superstar beta.


	5. Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the most part, Alice was a pretty easy going newborn. This brought a lot of joy to her first-time father, who had no idea what to expect. It had taken supervision from the nursing staff at the hospital in order for him to be able to prepare a bottle, however he now thought that few days into his fatherhood he was slowly progressing from “I hope I don't accidently kill this thing” to “maybe i can be an adequate parent”. 

“Are you sure I’m doing this right?” 

“You are a natural, Buckeroo.”

For the past two days, those had been the most frequent sentences heard at the Price house. Buck had taken residence in Carla’s garage apartment, a secure place where he could learn how to look after a newborn, whilst he attempted to find an apartment that met Carla’s approval. He had found his world had suddenly been turned around, his entire focus now upon a tiny bundle of his and Ali’s genes. 

For the most part, Alice was a pretty easy going newborn. This brought a lot of joy to her first-time father, who had no idea what to expect. It had taken supervision from the nursing staff at the hospital in order for him to be able to prepare a bottle, however he now thought that few days into his fatherhood he was slowly progressing from “I hope I don't accidently kill this thing” to “maybe i can be an adequate parent”. 

Alice had woken up as the sun rose, which was the reason why Buck had awoken. The two bonded, as Buck sat back in the chair. He was bare chested - having yet to change into anything by sweatpants - with Alice protectively in his grip. He watched as she suckled gently on the nip of her bottle, little noises echoing around the quiet room. Buck had learnt quickly when it came to following through his advice from the nursing staff, and from Carla. 

He was the first to admit he was not the brightest of sparks when it came to learning. Buck had found school difficult, as it was more theory than practical based. However, Alice and her care were important to him. He found himself reading about milestones online, finding sites that could provide him with information that would get him through. Buck attempted not to think about the other source he had. 

Buck’s phone was on silent when his team had attempted to contact him after he had left the hospital. It hadn’t been until the next morning he had found a number of messages, calls and voicemails from everyone he cared about. He had promptly switched the device off, not knowing how he would respond. He knew that Athena, Hen, Bobby and Eddie would be there for him, they all had experience. He knew that Hen and Maddie would be there, that his sister would practically kidnap Alice for a few moments of niece-aunt time. 

The bitterness he felt had started to wash out of him, replaced by love he felt for his expanding family. He wanted Alice to know her aunt, he wanted to introduce her to the team, to Christopher. As Alice finished her suckling, Buck placed down the bottle and placed a cloth over his shoulder. 

After days of not knowing what he should do, off feeling like a burden, he knew that there was one person he could contact. Even know they had a rocky start, Buck trusted the person whole heartedly. They hadn’t been involved with anything that had occurred at the firehouse, and Buck knew if he didn't reach out soon, she would probably track him down anyway. As he moved to reach for his phone, keeping Alice steady in his grasp, there was an emotion within him that pranged for a few moments. An emotion that he had not felt since the start of the week. 

Hope. 

—

Buck didn’t have to wait more than an hour for the person to appear. He had managed to settle Alice long enough for a nap, eventually removing the newborn from sleeping in his arms into her Moses basket. He hadn’t had any time to wonder whether his call had been the best idea. Instead, he could only see that even though he did not want to be a burden on another person, he also wanted to garner advice from someone he trusted. 

Hearing someone approaching the front, Buck forced himself to move from his position next to his sleeping daughter. He entered the little hall, not bothering to look in the mirror. Buck - who usually presented himself well - didn’t need to look to know he had block circles forming around his eyes. As he opened the door, the other person took a single glance as him before bringing him into a tight embrace. Buck was startled for a moment, before he felt himself melting into the motherly comfort which he had no idea he desperately needed. 

“Thanks for coming, Athena.”

“I just wish you called me sooner, Buckeroo.” 

Just like that, Buck knew that he had made the right decision. 

When he had first arrived at 118, the two had butted heads on various calls. More so, Buck had been an immature idiot who had tried his best to impress everyone, that Athena had taken a dislike to the youngest firefighter. It had taken a distressed child, a near shooting and a hose to allow the two a mutual respect for the other. Feeling that he was unable to contact his captain, Buck knew that he could contact the police sergeant. 

“You know what happened?”

Buck’s sentence was mostly a question, with a hint that he already knew what her answer would be. The fact she had arrived without any hesitation, without any questioning, allowed him to know that she wouldn’t need a full run through why he had disappeared so suddenly from their lives. 

“I figured it out.” Athena replied gently. It was a tone he had only heard her use occasionally, which brought a feeling of warmth to him. She didn’t hold any malice towards him, maybe the others felt the same? “How are you doing, Buck?”

It was a loaded question. 

Buck wanted to tell her that he was coping. He had always been independent as possible, even through the moments in his life he should have asked her help. Yet, he also didn’t want to feel as though he would be putting Alice at a disadvantage. He adored his family, even if they currently wanted nothing to do with him. He wanted her to have that extended family she could turn to. 

“I couldn’t help her.” Buck started. “Ali… they called me and told me to get to the hospital. I...I didn't make it to her side in time. We weren’t even together, we hadn’t been together in months, but I still feel guilty for not being there to hold her hand.” 

The two had relocated to the older sofa. The police sergeant took his hand, giving it a friendly and comforting squeeze as he spoke. 

“They wouldn’t tell me anything else. I wasn’t down as her next of kin. Her brother… man, they hadn’t spoken in years… he was gonna be told. I just left her in the hospital. What if he doesn’t claim her? Doesn’t give her a funeral? How could I just leave her there not knowing?” 

“If my suspicions are right, you had something more important to the both of you to focus on, Buck.” 

It was in that moment he knew that she had figured his disappearance out completely. 

“She didn’t tell me she was pregnant.” Buck whispered, attempting to remove the feeling of hurt and anger he had whenever he thought about that. Rationally he knew he could not justify being angry at a person no longer alive. Irrationally, he wanted to hold onto the anger a little longer. “One minute I’m trying to get through everyday. Next minute, I’m being told I have to be a father. I can’t do this alone. I can’t do this without her.”

The thought still terrified him. It was not that he had feelings for Ali. He had moved on, he had his own complicated feelings for another that he knew would never be returned. He just knew that Alice deserved both her parents in her life. 

“You do not have to be alone, Buck.” Athena said, another squeeze of his hand. “Everyone is worried about you. I haven’t told them you called me, but you need to speak to them. We are all going to be here for you.”

Buck shook his head. 

“I don’t want to mess up again. I can’t… I can’t force myself onto them again. You all helped me so much after Ali and I broke up and through the PT.” he broke for a moment. “...then I had to go and act to fucking stupid…” the lawsuit still caused him sleepless nights. At the time, Buck had thought it had been the only way to return to his family. Only now, after he had won, it had only caused a gap he had no idea how to bridge. “I can’t burden you guys with this mess.”

Before he could finish his sentence completely Athena spoke once more. 

“You are not a burden. We are your family, Buck. No matter what happens we are going to be there for you. For the both of you. I’m not going to lie when I saw that it is going to be easy. I do know that the moment Bobby found out you had requested leave, he has been determined to find you, so he can support you.”

Buck attempted to hold back the tears that were forming. 

“They didn’t contact me for over a week.” 

“I can explain that.” She told him firmly. “Bobby can explain that. But first?” 

Buck knew exactly what she wanted to do. He felt conflicted about eventually seeing his captain, but slowly stood and led her into the next room. Alice was stirring, as Buck slowly picked her up. Her head supported, he slowly passed her over, as the mother expectedly moved her arms into a protective hold of her own. Buck could see Athena examining every inch of her, and he knew this was the right moment. 

Although they were going through a difficult phase, Buck wanted to see this moment with everyone in his extended family. He wanted to see this moment with her sister, as she held her niece. He didn’t want to be a burden, he didn’t want them to think he couldn’t cope with the challenge of fatherhood. However, he also did not want to be without that had helped him get through the traumas in his life that year. 

“Alice, meet your Aunt Athena.”

( - - - )

As Athena stole Alice away for a moment of quiet bonding, Buck knew that he needed to speak with the others. He didn’t want to bombard his daughter with too many different persons at one time. He wanted to speak to Eddie, Bobby, and to one other person before anyone else found him and came before he was ready. 

As he made his call, Buck waited for the somewhat frantic voice on the other end, that attempted to remain composed. 

“Hey Maddie, think you can spare an hour?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the scene is set for Maddie and Alice bonding. I cannot wait for you to see the next chapter, there is certainly room for a little Buck showdown with one character. Or is that breakdown? 
> 
> Any mistakes are my own. 
> 
> As always I love you all. Thank you for your comments and kudos.


	6. Doubt (part one)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It had taken Alice less than a minute to stop squirming once she had been passed from a reluctant Athena into the awaiting arms off her biological aunt.

Buck and Athena stood together in the door of Alice’s temporary nursery. Sitting in the armchair next to the window was Maddie, holding Alice in her arms and gazing upon her with true love in her eyes. It was in that moment - seeing his older sister and his daughter together - Buck knew that he had made the correct call in contacting her. He could just imagine her holding him in this way when he had first been born, though the thought was quickly removed from his mind. He was no longer the little brother who she needed to protect, even if Maddie would never accept this from him. 

She had arrived almost thirty minutes after he had called her. Buck had been expecting annoyance, maybe a little anger. He had not expected tears, or to be brought into an embrace which went on for what felt like hours. That had been before he had explained everything to her, which had brought on more tears, from both siblings. For a moment, it was as though they were Maddie and Buck from years before, and she was telling him that she would always be there to fight the monsters with him. 

It had taken Alice less than a minute to stop squirming once she had been passed from a reluctant Athena into the awaiting arms off her biological aunt. Buck couldn’t help but smile through his anxiety, as he knew that his daughter felt as though he always had. Madeline Buckley had been the protector of his childhood. She would continue to be that for her niece, especially when the most important female figure had been taken from the newborns' life so soon into her existence. 

“I can’t believe you named her Alice.” Maddie spoke, her voice soft in order not to disturb her niece. She looked towards her brother, a smile etching across her features. “I haven’t thought about Wonderland in so long. You used to beg me to read the original book, even though you protested about being too old for bedtime stories. The Mad Hatter was always your favourite…”

She broke off as she remembered the moments of sibling bonding. Buck fell into his own fond memories as she spoke, and could have sworn he heard Athena mumble ‘why am I not surprised’ at the mention of his favourite character. 

“I didn’t know the name Ali had chosen. Hell, I don’t know if she knew the gender. I wanted to honour her in some way. I wanted to honour us in some way.”

Buck knew that he wanted Alice to live a different childhood. One that was full of attention from her father. He had no desire to speak with their parents, to inform them of their granddaughters' arrival. He did not want to reasons how he had screwed up listed to him. They hadn’t been bothered when they had found out he had been trapped by a fire truck, so why would he invite them back into his life now? 

“You used to say we would find a way to Wonderland,” Buck said. “I think, in a way, we did.”

They had both found a home in LA. Even though he was full of confusion and pain at that time, Buck also knew he wouldn’t change his decision to move there. The children who had been born and expected to remain in Pennsylvania as every generation had before had managed to find a way through the proverbial rabbit hole. 

“I guess we did,” Maddie agreed. “Listen to me, Alice. I used to look after your daddy when he was as small as you. I’m going to be there for you just the same. Buckley’s stick together.”

She pressed a kiss to the crest of Alice as Buck rubbed at his eyes discreetly.

“Buck, we should finish our conversation,” Athena said, tearing her eyes away from the two female Buckleys. Buck was about to tell his sister to remain, but she was already moving carefully. He closed his mouth knowing that she wouldn’t be dissuaded. Maddie gently placed the sleeping figure into her basket, and Buck grabbed the monitor which Carla had let him borrow. The three moved into the main room, allowing the youngest to sleep without any awareness of the troubles that would soon follow.

( - - - )

“Why didn’t you call me?”

Buck let out a sigh at Maddie’s question. They each nursed a steaming mug of coffee, the monitor on the table in front of them. 

“I didn’t want to be a burden. Mads, you were so supportive through the lawsuit, even though you made it clear you thought I was being an idiot…” both women made a noise of agreement before he continued. “...I knew you would be at work. You’ve already taken time to be with me after the bombing and the tsunami.”

She shook her head. 

“Evan, you are my baby brother. If you need me, then nothing else matters.” Maddie wrapped her arm around his shoulders. She brought him close to her, thankful her sickness was gone and she could be there to support him. Buck closed his eyes for a moment, accepting the warmth his sister offered. They were being overlooked by Athena, another comforting presence. “I should have known something was wrong. I’ve been sick, Buck. I caught a virus, so I’ve been in bed constantly for almost the past week. I am so sorry I let you think I didn’t care about you.”

“Buck, Maddie wasn’t the only one who has been ill,” Athena said as Maddie finished. She leaned forward in her chair, ensuring that the two remained in eye contact. “Harry developed a virus, which spread amongst everyone. Bobby, May, Denny, Karen, and Christopher also have been ill over the last week. I spoke to Bobby and Chim when we first realised you were no on sick leave. Chim was told by the night captain you were out and assumed it was because of the virus. Bobby had received an email, but he didn’t get to read it until he returned two days ago.”

Buck slowly nodded as he attempted to process the information. He had longed to know the reason why they had suddenly started to call him. He also hadn’t wanted to ask, not wanting to seem like a child who needed other recognition. The fact that his captain hadn’t actually ignored him for days should have brought some hope to him that he hadn’t messed everything up between them. Instead, he felt more conflicted. 

“Have you really been busy each time we invited you over, Buckeroo?” She finished, using the same tone she did when she wanted May or Harry to tell her the truth. At Buck’s hesitant nod, Athena knew that her assumptions had been correct. He had been avoiding the family over recent months, starting with his return from the lawsuit. She felt guilty, knowing that her own anger at the start may have prevented him from reaching out. Athena silently vowed that this wouldn’t happen in the future, there was too much at stake. “Buck, you are family. No matter what happens that will not change. There were a lot of hurt feelings when you filed the lawsuit, but mostly Bobby and I just wanted to know why. What drove you to that point?” 

“I felt like I was losing everything. Firefighting is all I have, you guys are all I have. Every time I made progress, I was knocked back. Then when Bobby told me it was him keeping me from coming home…” he broke off, as Maddie squeezed him gently. 

“I think you need to speak to Bobby,” Athena said, and a stern glare stopped the protest which Buck was about to utter. “He is worried about you, Evan. You need to have an honest conversation. It doesn’t have to be at the station, I can tell him to meet you somewhere else.”

Buck shook his head. 

“I need to speak to him there. Can... can you watch Alice?”

He looked towards Maddie and knew that she could be trusted completely with her niece. Buck knew that Athena would be with him, could take him to the station and wouldn’t leave his side until he asked. For the first time in forever, he felt as though he had people on his side. 

( - - - )

Hen was the first to notice him. 

She was sitting in the front of the ambulance, taking the rare free time to complete mandatory checks. She had about to call out to her best friend when she noticed the wayward youngest fighter walking in unison. Hen slid down from the seat, as she walked towards them. Her fear about what had happened to Buck was starting to fade once she checked him over. No obvious signs of any physical damage - though he looked as though he hadn’t slept in a week. Before she could say anything, Athena gave a slight negative shake of her head. 

There was more movement and the sound of both newcomer names. All three looked towards the second floor, to see Bobby looking at them with a mixture of emotions flashing across his face. Chim walked towards them, the only other member not accounted for was the looming army medic. As if Athena could read Buck’s mind, she posed the question. 

“He left early. Christopher's school had half a day.” Chim said, eyes darting between his best friend, the police sergeant and the boy he loved like a brother. “Buck, where…”

Athena broke him off. She gently pushed at his shoulders, causing him to move forward. He walked past his friends towards the stairs that would lead him to his captain. He and Athena had already discussed what would happen. She would tell the others, whilst he went to speak with Bobby. He felt guilty that Eddie wasn’t there, but a part of him felt relieved. He didn’t want to even try to unravel that particular mess at that point. 

( - - - )

Buck could remember when he first arrived at the 118. It was the first time since Maddie had gotten married since he had left home and traveled with no meaning, that he felt as though he could belong somewhere. The feeling of discomfort he felt was similar to that when he first walked through the doors, with Buck 1.0. 

Bobby looked tired, and he wondered if that had anything to do with his own flight. The two looked at each other for a moment, neither really knowing how to start. No one else was there with them which meant they were able to be honest, to be open if they knew how to be. Buck let out a small sigh, as he leaned back against the counter. There were so many things he wanted to say. 

“I’m sorry.”

Buck spoke just as Bobby moved to speak himself. 

“You have nothing to be sorry for, Buck,” Bobby said. “I think I owe you an apology instead. Athena told me what happened, and the fact you didn’t feel like you could come to me? I am so sorry, Kid. I want you to be able to come to me about anything.”

The younger firefighter wrapped his arms together as his captain carried on speaking. 

“I know I wasn’t the most welcoming when you returned to us. I let my emotions take over. But honestly? It hurt me that you filed the suit, but then shared personal information.”

“I didn’t know he would use that.” Buck cut in. “I… I thought I had to tell him? I’ve never been in that position. I was desperate, Bobby. I felt as though I was losing everything, that you were replacing me and didn’t want me back…”

“... of course we wanted you here with us. You are a huge part of this family, Buck. Not having you here hurt everyone. I just… Buck, seeing you under that fire truck broke my heart. Freddie hurt you because of me. Then, when we finally got you back, watching you pass out in my home after coughing up blood? I couldn’t stand to see you hurt again.” He let out a pained breath. “I should have been honest with you. I regret that, truly.”

Buck could tell he was being honest. The doubts that he still had would not disappear overnight, nor after one conversation. However they were being open, and he knew that he was not going to leave even though it felt like a trauma. 

“Mackey convinced me that it was for the best. I wasn’t going to even consider, then we had that messed up dinner, and I called him. I was angry, and I couldn’t see anyway to prove to you that I was ready to come back.” Buck explained, leaning further against the countertop. “I regretted it the moment I served you those papers, but I felt trapped. Not being able to speak to any of you just about killed me. Then when I came back, I felt even more alone.” Buck paused. “I thought that if I kept my distance, I wouldn’t cause anymore hurt and you wouldn’t find a reason to get rid of me for good.” 

At first, his voice echoed around the space. He didn’t think about the fact that others may be able to hear them speaking. The anger he had felt being left behind was brewing to the surface as he tried to show how he had felt. He had always seen Bobby as more than just a captain. He had been a father figure - one who he could rely on for the first time in so long. When he had been fired for taking the truck to meet up with girls, Buck had felt ashamed for betraying the trust of the one person who had offered him a chance. As he finished his statements, Buck could feel his voice breaking slightly. Bobby didn’t offer a verbal reply straight away. 

The older man stepped forward, almost checking it was okay to approach before he reached out and brought Buck into a comforting embrace. The height difference between the two did not matter, as Buck relaxed slightly. He had never been given this attention from his own father. He would savor any affection, even if he still felt as though they had a lot to talk about. 

At some point, the two would break apart, and Buck would tell his captain about his daughter. They will both know that they needed some time together to work through any lingering issues. Until that moment, they silently thanked the above for the chance of being able to fix their relationship in the first place. 

( - - - )

_ THREE HOURS LATER _

Buck stood outside of the familiar house, taking in the view as he tried to compose himself. He still felt emotionally drained from his talk with Bobby, who he had promised could meet Alice the next day (with the equally excited Hen and Chimney in tow). He had left the firehouse in order to make one final stop, listening to Athena teasing Bobby over the fact she had held ‘his granddaughter’ before he had. 

Neither Buck nor Bobby had protested at the title she had bestowed upon her husband. 

He did not want his team to be there without the final member. Ensuring Maddie was surviving her niece (and knowing she would eventually kidnap the girl if he left to long), he made his way to the Diaz residence. With a deep breath, he knocked on the door - it didn’t feel right to use the key which he had - and waited for it to be answered. 

“Buck?” Eddie sounded frantic at his name as the younger man cut off anything else he wanted to say. 

“Hey Eddie. Can we talk?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta'd by the amazing EndlessWriter03. 
> 
> I read every single one of our comments. There may even be an idea of one of them in the above chapter, which I adored. I hope you like, and if you have any feedback be sure to comment. Thank you all for your wonderful support <3


	7. Doubt (part two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Evan Buckley first caught a glimpse of Eddie Diaz, a one-sided rivalry developed for almost the entirety of their first shift. There had only been an end when the two had assisted each other with pulling out a live grenade from a man’s leg. From that moment on, Buck and Eddie literally became BuckandEddie.

When Evan Buckley first caught a glimpse of Eddie Diaz, a one-sided rivalry developed for almost the entirety of their first shift. There had only been an end when the two had assisted each other with pulling out a live grenade from a man’s leg. From that moment on, Buck and Eddie literally became BuckandEddie. Best friends, who usually had no issues in communicating, who were usually found together throughout their shift and even on their days off from work. It had been that way until the lawsuit had driven them completely apart - and neither of them knew how to communicate in order to set the record straight. 

Buck had known the day in the grocery store, he had hurt the two people who had (at the time) meant the world to him. The arrival of Alice had not changed the way he felt about the Diaz family, it only meant there was another addition to his affections. He desperately wanted to know how Christopher would react to his news. First, Buck knew that the next conversation he would have could make or break his news actually being listened too. 

“What happened, Buck?” Eddie spoke first, as he moved aside. Buck didn’t say anything as he moved past. He could hear the faint sound of the television, though couldn’t see his favourite superman, who must have been in his bedroom. A part of him was pleased with that fact, he hadn’t wanted to show any upset in front of the youngest Diaz. “Bobby’s been worried about you. We all have, then you weren’t answering any calls.”

Buck closed his eyes for a moment as he tried to bite back a sarcastic reply. As he turned to face his best friend, he wasn’t able to stop the entire thought, his tone low and passive. 

“I was surprised to see you have my number still, Eddie. You haven’t spoken to me outside of work in months.”

He felt a touch of guilt as he saw Eddie actually  _ flinch _ . That did not stop his speech, which he carried on even with Eddie attempting to break in with something of his own. 

“I am a screwup. I lost Christopher after the second wave. I filed the lawsuit, losing you all in the process. I acted like a complete idiot when I told my lawyer everything.” He tried not to raise his voice, so as not to draw the attention of the other occupant. “I’ve tried, Eddie. I’ve tried to make it up to you. Do you know how hard this week has been? All I wanted to do was reach out, to have your support.” He made a strangled noise. “I was petrified that if I did call, you would reject me again.”

“You are not a screwup,” Eddie said, cutting his best friend off, his own heart pounding as he tried to stop the hurt feelings. How had it gotten to the point where Buck hadn’t thought he could reach out? “I did not lie that day in your apartment. There is no one I trust more with my son. Nothing that has happened has changed that.”

They fell into silence once more. Buck wanted to believe him, yet he felt as though it was a complete lie. He did not trust himself with Christopher. The nightmares which he suffered that were based around the tsunami were based around the concept of him not finding his best friend’s son. 

“I forgave you for the lawsuit on Halloween,” Eddie added. “I couldn’t get rid of my own rage, I started to fight, I only stopped when Bobby found out. I couldn’t speak to you without feeling guilty.”

A stunned expression formed on Buck’s face. 

“For what?”

“I wasn’t there for you, Buck. If I had been an actual friend to you, I could have talked you out of the lawsuit. If I had come to see you the moment I heard? I just felt so angry, and I couldn’t control it. Every time you skipped out on a team get together or swapped shifts to avoid us, I wanted to reach out. To tell you - “

Eddie stopped suddenly. He ran his right hand over his face, and Buck longed to know what the man wanted to tell him. Would it be just as important as the news he held? Would it be a true expression of emotions - just as the ones he longed to spill? It was clear that Eddie wasn’t going to continue with his sentence, which allowed Buck to break in with his news instead. 

“I have a daughter.”

The older firefighter looked stunned for a moment. 

”Wha—Buck, is that why you went AWOL?” He questioned, knowing that it would be the only reason he would have disappeared. Buck nodded, as Eddie grabbed hold of the side to right himself. “How old is she?”

“She was born just over a week ago,” Buck told him. “Ali never told me she was pregnant. She… she lost her life in a car accident. She survived long enough to deliver our child.” 

Eddie wanted to step forward, to reach out and comfort him. There was still a gap between them, both physically and imaginary. He had no idea what Buck needed at that moment, which caused him to want to fix their issues even more. He wanted to be honest with him, to tell him the true reason why he had been so angry over the past few months. They were interrupted by the sound of tapping on the floor, both looking towards the entrance to the hallway. Christopher appeared, his face lighting up at the sign of one of his favourite people. 

“Bucky!”

Buck felt joy as he rushed towards the young boy. The two met, and he wrapped his arms around the small frame. He held on for a little longer than usual, attempting to relish the fact he could finally see the youngest Diaz for longer than a few moments for the first time in so long. 

“Hey, buddy,” Buck said, bringing himself out of the embrace, though remaining knelt down to be at his level. 

“I’ve missed you. Are you staying? I wanna show you my drawings!”

It took every strength he had to start to decline the offer. He longed to spend time with Christopher, to see through his conversation with Eddie, however, he had a daughter to feed and a sister to relieve from babysitting duties. 

“I’m sorry superman. I need to get home, but I want to spend time with you.” Buck tried not to feel guilty as Christopher’s downcast expression. “I’m staying with Carla, and I was going to invite you round tomorrow afternoon. You could show me your drawings then?”

Christopher started to cheer up once more. He adored spending time with Buck - and he also loved Carla. 

“Can we dad?” Christopher asked excitedly, as Eddie looked between both of them. He felt something indescribable with the two of them together. 

“Are you sure, Buck?” Eddie questioned, partly not knowing whether he would be welcomed around the latest edition. They may have spoken, yet he felt as though they had only opened further questions that needed answering. 

“The whole team is gonna be there,” Buck replied. “Besides, I have someone I want you to meet. Do you think you could draw another picture tonight, buddy?” 

Christopher nodded. 

“For who?”

Buck smiled, as he started to explain once more about the latest addition to their family. Eddie listened, longing to say more, hoping they could start to make amends over time.

( - - - )

He had found a few apartments that were affordable, with viewings lined up over the upcoming week. For the first time that week, Buck finally felt as though he would be able to provide something worthwhile for his child. Maddie had stayed with them that evening, not wanting to leave either of them alone. He knew that now she knew the truth, she would throw herself into helping them. There was no way to stop her - Buck was aware that trying would lead to resistance. He had learned long ago his sister was a force when she was motivated for her loved ones.

“Do you think this was a good idea?” Buck said, a quick glance at his phone to check the time. “What if it’s too much for her?”

Maddie placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“It’s going to be alright.” She said in a gentle tone. “Besides, Alice is the latest member of this dysfunctional family. She’s got to get used to being with her additional aunts and uncles.” She let out a small laugh. “Did you ever imagine we would actually be part of a family again? It was just you and me for so long.”

Buck reached up to squeeze her hand.

“I’m pleased Alice is going to have you in her life, Maddie.” He told her, with a true smile appearing. 

“She’s pretty lucky to have you as a father, baby brother.” Maddie looked to the floor for a moment, before she finally breached the topic she had wanted to speak about for a few days. “Buck, were they able to get hold of Ali’s brother?”

Buck let out a pained sigh. 

“I spoke with him last night. He’s arranged for Ali to be transferred to Boston, she’s going to be buried next to her mother. He isn’t planning on coming to look through her apartment. He didn’t even mention wanting to see Alice. I knew they were estranged, but he had no emotion at all.” Buck never wanted to be that way when it came to his sister. “He’s told the landlord of her apartment to get rid of her stuff.”

The brother had told him he could visit before this, see if there was anything he wanted to keep. Buck wanted to go, to see if there was anything he could keep for Alice. Almost as if he were a child once more, he did not want to go alone. Maddie knew this without any words being uttered. 

“If you want to go to her apartment I’ll come with you, Buck. We can get a few photographs of Ali for Alice.”

The two siblings embraced. They had gotten closer since she had arrived in LA, a relationship that they had once shared growing up together. They had never let the age difference affect them, and they never would. They only broke apart when they heard footsteps coming closer, knowing their company had arrived. 

( - - - )

Christopher was besotted with Alice. 

The moment Buck had introduced him to his daughter, the young boy beamed, before shyly asking whether he could hold her. Buck and Eddie shared a look for only a moment before they silently moved in sync to ensure that it could happen. Eddie helped his son get into position on the couch, sitting next to him. Buck slowly moved Alice into his arms, as Eddie helped Christopher to keep her head secure, and to make sure she was safe. 

Buck didn’t need to look towards Hen to know she would already be taking photographs. He couldn’t help but feel something growing inside of him. The sight of the boy he loved as a son with his daughter caused him so much warmth. For the moment it occurred, he did not think about the issues he faced. He did not think about the awkwardness between himself and Eddie, or himself and his captain. 

“Does she like me?” Christopher asked as Alice wriggled slightly in his arm. She did not start to cry, which meant that she felt comfortable. Buck took this as a win, hoping that his daughter could sense the boy was family. 

“Of course she does,” Buck replied. “You know Chris, you are going to have an important job as she gets older.” 

“Really?”

“Mhm. To teach her to be as awesome as you are, superman.” 

Christopher laughed. 

“She can be supergirl!” 

For a moment, anyone looking on from the outside would describe the scene as heartwarming. They may describe it as a new child being introduced to their brother for the first time. In the minds of Buck and Eddie, that is how they both considered it. Neither spoke up, fear controlling their every move. 

As Alice fussed once more, Buck slowly scooped her back out of his arms. Christopher pouted a little, longing to hold onto her for a little longer. As the others started to arrange lunch, Buck quickly moved her towards the bedroom to change her and settle her down for another nap. He hadn’t noticed the other person moving with him, but he looked towards the door frame and spotted them there. 

“She reminds me of Brook. She was just as tiny when she was born, such a good sleeper. Unlike her brother.” Bobby said, and Buck stayed silent. The captain rarely spoke openly about his family, and Buck adored knowing more about them, so he would remain quiet until he felt the time was right. “You certainly know how to make a beautiful daughter.”

Buck finishing fastening the baby’s diaper, and he glanced over her frame. He could see a lot of Ali within her now but knew he was blended within. 

“I know you got to hold her for a moment earlier…” Buck said before he slowly handed her to his father figure without accepting any protests. “...Chim stole her away quickly enough. There’s still a lot we both need to do to fix us, but she should get to know you. She needs you in her life, just as I do.” As Bobby stood with Alice in his arms, Buck knew that any anger or hesitance he had towards the older man would slowly fade away in time. This was a moment he would never be able to share with his biological father - he would never allow that meeting. Instead, he got to witness his own pseudo-father gazing lovingly at the girl who would enviably grow up being secretly spoilt by the captain. 

The two remained in the bedroom for a while, as they placed her down for a nap, enjoying the comfortable silence. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter has been beta'd by wonderful souls. 
> 
> Hope everyone is having a wonderful December!
> 
> So, I wanted to give you all a little light towards the end. Christopher and Alice will make wonderful supersiblings *squeeze them*. 
> 
> Buck and Eddie still need to have a frank, open and probably loud talk away from everyone else. That may have to wait a while, for Buck's gonna need some support next chapter. See in you all in the New Year!


	8. Understanding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Buck had been to Ali’s apartment numerous times in the months they’d dated. She had rented the same one-bedroom apartment since arriving in LA, though longed to move into the heart of the city at some point. Knowing that she would never get the chance to see through her dream sent a spiral of guilt through Buck. As if his sister knew what he was thinking, she placed her hand on his arm, offering comfort as they stood in her apartment. 
> 
> **there is A conversation with implied homophobia later within this chapter.

Buck had been to Ali’s apartment numerous times in the months they’d dated. She had rented the same one-bedroom apartment since arriving in LA, though longed to move into the heart of the city at some point. Knowing that she would never get the chance to see through her dream sent a spiral of guilt through Buck. As if his sister knew what he was thinking, she placed her hand on his arm, offering comfort as they stood in her apartment. 

The landlord told them to take as long as they need to collect items. Everything else would be removed, sold on behalf of Ali’s brother. Although it caused Buck some hurt to know her belongings would be sold on without any care, he also knew he could not change her brothers’ mind. He had long come to terms with the breakup the two had gone through, during his physical therapy. He wasn’t there looking for anything that would remind him of their fleeting relationship, or a keepsake. Instead, the only thought on his mind was that of their daughter. He knew that at some point in the future she would ask about Ali - and he wanted to ensure he had something that he could provide to her. 

“Are you ready?” Maddie questioned as the two siblings stood in the main room of the small apartment. Buck took a glance around the room, taking in a deep breath. There was a blank easel near to the large windows, which on every previous occasion had been the home to her latest creation. There were the same photographs around the room, which Buck knew he needed to look at closely in order to decide what to keep. 

“Alice should know her mother,” Buck replied with a small nod. “I’ll go through and see if there is anything in the bedroom. Can you take some of the photographs in here?”

Although reluctant to step away from her brother, Maddie eventually agreed to his suggestion. Buck moved towards the bedroom, and as he entered, there was an answer to his question straight away. At one side of the room, there were items set up ready for welcoming a newborn child. Ali had clearly used her artistic skills, painting a colourful mural on the wall which had not been there when he had last visited. The colours were mostly neutral, the only exception of a pink bunny rabbit that sat in the ray of sun from the window. 

She knew that she had been expecting a girl after all. 

Buck picked up the soft bunny, and held it close. She would never be able to give their daughter the soft toy, but he would be able to do so. Alice would grow up with the item, and he would be able to tell her that it had been a gift from her mother. His eyes were drawn to a decorative box, as he placed the bunny onto her bed and grabbed it. Buck sank into the mattress, his fingers running over the label. Placing the lid next to him, Buck started to sift through the items within. 

Scans that were clearly taken throughout Ali’s pregnancy. Little sketches that had clearly been drawn of a potential nursery. A list of names, of which several were highlighted or crossed out. A book lay underneath. Hardback, white and gold, empty accept for an image which was labeled ‘first portrait. Buck slowly turned each page, which felt delicate and rich in quality. He had seen his mothers attempt at creating Maddie one before, never thought to question where his own book was. Maddie had ensured she had kept enough photographs and keepsakes over their childhood, some of which he was certain still existed at their childhood home. 

_ Evan Buckley.  _

An envelope slipped from the back of the book, his name written in Ali’s handwriting. There was no denying the curves, the dark ink almost embossed. For a moment, Buck thought about taking whatever it was out of the envelope. His own confusion holding back, why would it be there in the first place? Ali could not have predicted this moment, the accident nor any events that followed. Without any further hesitation, he flipped it over and noted the seal was not yet stuck down, the contents being pulled out gently. 

There was an image of a scan, which Buck recognised from being pasted within the baby milestone book. Underneath, there were a few more scans, all taken at various stages of her pregnancy. There was no letter, which caused Buck to realise she had not yet finished gathering whatever she wanted to send him. Did this mean she had been planning on telling him? That she hadn’t tried to forget who the father was? That if the accident hadn't occurred, he wouldn’t have been ignorant to the fact he had a child somewhere in the world? 

Hearing footsteps, Buck placed the letter back into the book. He wasn’t yet ready to share them with anyone, even his sister. Placing the book and other items back into the box, Buck placed it next to him. He wouldn't allow Ali’s brother to throw them away - they were important to her, and they would be important for Alice to keep when she was old enough to understand their important. 

“I grabbed a few photographs.” Maddie said as she entered the room. “I also found a couple of Ali’s paintings stored in a folder. I thought we could store them? For Alice, when she’s old enough to understand.” Her eyes were drawn to the pieces of furniture which had clearly been loving bought. Buck followed her gaze, his own heart tightening. He hadn’t allowed himself to feel heartbroken, for he knew he had to be strong in order to be there for Alice. Buck may not have held a strong love for Ali, but he still had adored her during the months they had been together. She had left too soon, and they were unable to watch together, the person they had created made her mark on the world. 

Maddie, sensing he was in distress, sat down and wrapped her arms around him. Buck allowed his walls to fall, and silently cried into her shoulder. The two siblings remained in the position, older sister comforting her little brother, as they forgot for a moment that the world was still spinning. Eventually, they would have no choice but to break apart. Buck would take the photographs, the folder and the decorative box, and never return.

(- - - )

Before the lawsuit, Buck spent many nights with the Diaz family. They would alternate whose home they spent time within. He would play video games with them, build legos, or just spend time chilling with Eddie after a long shift. In the months since, he had spent most of his evenings in solitude. There was no denying that he hated the distance which had been caused. It was for that reason he had invited them to his temporary apartment for a movie night, which he hoped would also give them a chance to be honest with one another. Buck needed the man he called his best friend back in his life. 

It had been a few days since he and Maddie had brought back the few items from Ali’s apartment. They were stored away ready for moving, though he had placed the pink bunny near Alice, almost as a sign that her mother would be watching over her. He heard the sounds of crutches, and a smile developed as he went to open the door. Christopher was all smiles, excitedly greeting ‘his Buck’. Bringing the boy into a hug, Buck looked towards Eddie, the two catching eyes for a moment. 

“Hey buddy. Wanna go and choose a movie?” He said, as Christopher happily shuffled away to set up a movie. Both men knew that something animated and Disney would be chosen, though wouldn’t protest. They stayed outside of the living area for a few moments, awkwardness surrounding the both of them. Bobby had arranged for Buck to have leave, which meant the two hadn't seen each other since he had been introduced to her earlier in the week.

“Chim told us that Maddie took you to Ali’s apartment,” Eddie said eventually. There was an unspoken ‘how are you’, which Buck had heard many times before. 

“It was hard,” Evan said honestly. “We grabbed a few photos, and some things for Alice when she is older. It felt so weird being there, knowing that she wouldn’t be coming home.”

It had been Maddie’s idea to send the newly purchased furniture, which Buck had decided not to bring with him, to a local charity who assisted with finding furniture for those who didn’t have enough money. He knew that it would feel wrong, to use the items which Ali had chosen, when she hadn’t been able to. Knowing that there would be those who got use from them, who needed it the most, caused him some comfort. 

“Dad! Bucky! Are you coming to watch my movie?” Christopher asked, as the two moved into the room in sync. Minutes turned into a couple of hours, and one and a half movies later Eddie turned to see both his boys sleeping soundly on the sofa. Christopher was snuggled into Buck’s side, who looked as though he needed a weeks worth of rest. Eddie let out a small sigh, the last time he had seen Buck truly healthy was before the bombing. How could they have allowed him to falter so rapidly? 

Hearing Alice from the monitor, Eddie took a glance towards Buck. Reluctant to allow him to wake, Eddie stood and started to prepare the newborns feed. He remembered from his own time with Christopher, and he had enough nephews and nieces, in order to prepare the bottle expertly. Moving into her room, Eddie paused for a moment. He didn’t want to cause any more of a rift with Buck, if he made a mistake with his daughter, he knew they wouldn’t make it through. 

Picking Alice from her basket, Eddie moved to sit in the chair with her on his chest. He moved her into the position which he had been Christopher’s favourite, and Alice started to suckle straight away. There had been a time he had wanted a sibling for Christopher. For a moment, he had believed that there would be a second chance with Shannon. Now? After seeing the way his son had held the girl currently in his arms, his heart had just about burst. 

As Alice finished eating, Eddie moved her to his shoulder, before eventually she was ready for another cuddle. He hadn’t noticed movement near the door, until the person spoke with him. 

“You’re really good with her,” Buck said, trying not to startle the two occupants. He had woken a few minutes before, managing to slide away from Christopher, in order to search for his best friend. 

“You don’t mind?” Eddie questioned, feeling relieved at Buck’s negative head shake.

“You once told me that there was no one else you would trust with Christopher as much as you trusted him with me. We may not be on the same page right now Eddie, but that statement goes both ways.”

“Buck… If Ali had told you about Alice, would you have gotten back together with her?” 

The younger firefighter shook once more. 

“I didn’t love Ali. I tried. She was my first serious relationship since Abby. It would have been wrong to get back together for the sake of a child. I would have been there for her, to be a father to Alice, but we wouldn’t have worked out,” He moved into the room. ”I haven’t told Maddie this, but a part of me is still angry with her. Why didn’t she tell me? If she had, maybe she wouldn't have been in the accident.” 

Eddie knew that he could relate. After Shannon’s death, he had spent many days questioning his own part. If he hadn’t asked her to come, she would still be alive. If he hadn’t tried to fix what was already too broken, maybe Christopher would have his mother with him. 

“Or you both may have been lost in the accident,” Eddie pointed out. “Buck, I can’t tell you why Ali didn’t reach out. She isn’t here to ask, and thinking about it will drive you insane. Trust me, I know about regret. Alice needs you…” he looked to the girl in his arms. “Ali wouldn’t have told the paramedics to call you, if she didn’t want you to be in Alice’s life.”

Buck wondered if Eddie was right. 

“I found an envelope with my name on it. It had some of the scans inside, but no letter,” Buck replied. “I want to believe she was going to reach out.”

He could only imagine what would have happened if Ali had lived. Would he had ever known about the child? Would he have discovered about her at the age of fifteen when she came to look for him? 

“I haven’t told my parents about her,” Buck said, direction changing as neither would be able to speculate further on Ali nor her plans. “I want her to grow up knowing that she can come to me about anything. I don’t want her to be scared of me.”

Eddie had never heard Buck speaking about his parents. The topic was usually voided, brought around to Maddie and the influence she had on his childhood. He remained quiet, allowing the other man to speak. 

“I was always scared to tell them anything, especially after Maddie left. My dad… he caught me with a friend in my room once. Jack and I were just fooling around. After Jack was thrown out, dad spent the rest of the night telling me he wouldn’t have me as a son if I carried on ‘down that path’.”

Buck remembered the punishment that night. He had known he was bisexual for almost six months before, but had never allowed himself to act on his feeling because he was afraid. After that night, Buck had stuck to woman. He had never allowed himself to get caught up with emotions which he couldn’t understand - until a certain new firefighter had entered the 118.

Eddie longed to stand, to bring the man into an embrace. He had suspected for a long while (though Hen had been the first to bring it up) that Buck had experimented in his youth. The others knew that Eddie had also, before he had married Shannon, for it had been brought up on a shift night out early into his career. He wasn’t able to move, not with Buck’s daughter in his arms. 

“Would you be with a man again?” Eddie asked. “You’re strong, Buck. You deserve to be happy.” Eddie added. Buck nodded slowly agreeing with the other man.

“If the right person were to ask, yes,” He said pointedly. “Only, not right now. I want to focus on Alice, on getting a new apartment and settling in. I need time to find out what Buck 3.0 will be like as a father. When I am ready… If the person is ready as well… I think I wanna see how it goes.” 

Eddie and Buck shared a look. They knew the subtext was clear for the both of them. When Buck was ready, when Eddie was ready, they would bring up the suggestion of being more than just friends. Until that moment, they needed each other in every other way possible. It would take some time, it would take lots of family nights with the four of them together, but eventually the gaps that had been created would be fixed. The bridge between them will be stronger with no possibility of it crumbling beneath their feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta’d by the amazing EndlessWriter03.
> 
> Hope everyone had a wonderful new year. I’m aiming to write the last two chapters over the next couple of weeks. Thank you for all your lovely comments and kudos.


	9. Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The decision to move to Los Angeles, to leave his bartending nights in South America and trade them in for fighting fires, occurred shortly after his twenty-fourth birthday. He had spent the night with a firefighter, who had explained that the LAFD was one of the best.

The decision to move to Los Angeles, to leave his bartending nights in South America and trade them in for fighting fires, occurred shortly after his twenty-fourth birthday. He had spent the night with a firefighter, who had explained that the LAFD was one of the best. Buck, never knowing where his path would lead, had been intrigued by the ‘daredevil hero’ stuff he believed would occur. It had only been after he had been fired by Bobby - and helped to save the little girl and Athena - that he truly understood what it meant to serve those who needed help. 

His living situation had changed just as his approach to his role had. When he had first arrived, he had found a communal house with several alcoholic roommates. Buck 1.0 had enjoyed the freedom, though he hadn’t actually stayed in touch with them after he had left. When he had started to date Abby, he had moved into her apartment, which helped his transition from playboy to someone who actually wanted a commitment. Buck 2.0 had his apartment, the studio with an additional floor for sleeping, signing the lease to show he was serious about remaining in LA. He had not realized that he would move so soon - that Buck 3.0 would be a person completely different from the first model. 

With some help from Carla, he had managed to find a two-bedroom apartment close to the 118. It was in a good neighborhood, and the year lease he had signed meant he was secure for the time being. Buck had only told Maddie the date he would be moving in. She had to work, and with Carla watching Alice, Buck was free to start moving the necessities. As he pulled into his allocated parking space, his Jeep full to the brim, he had not expected to see Chim waiting for him. 

“Is everything okay?” he asked as he exited the vehicle. 

“Maddie let slip this morning. You didn’t think we would let you move on your own, did you Buckeroo?”

Chim was smiling at the younger man, who felt something different. He had spent months attempting to remove himself from them, not wanting to harm any of them. It had always been difficult when it came to Chimney, who had been his friend long before he had started to date his sister. The fact he had come to help him made Buck realize he had not lost his family. 

“Thanks Chim,” Buck said, clapping his shoulder. It was only then his words actually came to him. “Wait we?”

“Bobby’s on his way with breakfast. Hen’s almost here, and Eddie is dropping Christopher at his aunt’s. We’ve got this, Buck. Let us help you.”

( - - - )

  
  
  


Buck stood in the smallest bedroom, empty and longing for some color. He had a little time to properly sort out Alice’s nursery. She would share his room until she was old enough to transition from her basket into a crib. He wanted to try and create the perfect room for his daughter - one that he knew Ali would approve off. It was for that reason he was mentally deciding where everything would be placed. He wanted a part of her mother to be with her, and he wondered if he should hang one of Ali’s paintings for her to grow up with. 

“I hope you’re not slacking.” Hen said, her voice amused as she leaned against the door. “What’s on that mind of yours?”

Buck bit back a sarcastic retort, knowing that she truly cared. Hen had been the one member of the team to actually welcome him back, no matter how stupid he had acted. 

“I don’t want to be a disappointment.” He said eventually. “I guess I knew someday I wanted a kid. After I started to spend time with Christopher, I saw myself as a father for the first time. I just… I wasn’t given any time to prepare. What if I fail her?”

Hen placed the box she was holding onto the ground, walking into the room and approaching him. 

“The fact you’ve already thought about failing shows me you are going to be amazing, Buck. Every action you have taken since Alice’s birth was for her. Every thought you have had has been about her.” She told him firmly. “You’ve grown up so much since you started with us. I’m not saying you won’t make mistakes, we all make them. I’m saying you will learn from them, instead of arguing you were right. And if you need support? You just need to ask.”

“Thank you.” Buck started. “For everything. Alice is gonna be pretty lucky to have you as her godmother.” 

For a moment Hen did not realize what he had said. When realization sprung to her, she let out a choked gasp and brought him into an embrace. Alice did not know how lucky she would be having Hen in her life for support. They stayed there for a few minutes, then Hen clasped his shoulder before leaving the room. Buck took a glance around the empty shell, knowing that he would be able to change it into a room worthy of his daughter. Just over a month ago, Buck had felt alone outside of work. 

He now knew that no matter his actions - nor the ones of his family - they would be there for one another when they were needed. Buck turned and left the room to find the others and see what other pieces of furniture needed to be built.

( - - - )

  
  


Buck couldn’t explain the gratitude he felt towards his team. They had taken time to help him move his belongings, and Maddie even came along with dinner after her shift had finished. With the additional space, Buck knew that he needed to take a look at any new items he needed. He still had to completely furnish the room Alice would eventually move into, though he would start by purchasing a few things every month. He had already tried - and failed - to remove Maddie’s decision to buy tons of outfits for her niece. He was almost afraid at the outfits his sister would find on her next shopping trip (probably dragging Josh for the ride). 

Maddie and Chimney were the first invited for dinner, the night after he had officially moved in. As Buck unloaded cartons of takeout from the plastic bag, Chimney was keeping the month-old baby entertained. She had woken up screaming thirty minutes before, and each time they had tried to place her back into her basket, she cried once more. Chimney had wrestled her from Maddie five minutes earlier, claiming that he hadn’t had his own moment with his niece whilst she had several. Maddie had given in, secretly pleased that her boyfriend saw her niece as his own also. 

“Why did we order so much?” Buck asked as Maddie rolled her eyes. “There is no way we are gonna eat all this. Bobby’s already filled my fridge with meals to last a week.”

He had made that discovery after the man had left. Buck knew that it was his captains’ way of starting to make amends, and he was relieved at the idea of not having to cook for himself fully. Now that his apartment was sorted, Buck still needed to figure out childcare, since he needed to return to work. The idea of returning no longer concerned him - it would allow the wounds which had been created to heal completely. 

“I’m taking most home with me,” Chim replied with a smirk. “I won’t have to cook for the weekend at this rate.”

Maddie let out a laugh. She was scheduled to work the weekend late shifts, which meant they wouldn’t be eating together. The Buckley siblings carried the food to the table before Buck went to reclaim his daughter. Chim raised his eyebrow, as he looked between the two of them. 

“She is so calm. Are you sure she’s yours?” Chim asked, his tone full of amusement. Maddie let out a laugh, having asked the same question. It was Buck’s turn to roll his eyes, as he crossed his arms. 

“I’m starting to rethink asking you to be her godfather,” Buck said, his tone just as amused. He mocked a turn to Maddie. “Hey, sis, think I should ask Josh? He won’t be mean to me.”

Chimney was thankful he had Alice firmly in his arms. 

“Godfather? Buck, what about Bobby? Eddie?” He said. He knew that he would love nothing more than the honor, but he also knew there were other candidates.

“Chim, you’ve been there for me for years. Even when I was just a punk-ass kid. Without you and Hen, I wouldn’t have made it through my first year. I trust you both to watch over Alice, she’s gonna need your guidance just as much as I do.”

Maddie watched as the two most important men in her life welcomed the moment. For the first time in a long while, she felt as though her family was coming together. There was no Doug, there was no lawsuit. Instead, they were able to be together and show the world what they are made off. 

( - - - )

It had been the combined efforts of Carla and Athena that had helped Buck to find the right care for Alice. A nursery that was based near to the fire station, that offered discounts to serving emergency service employees. The customers were mostly those who worked in the industry, set up by two women who were married to those in the job and understood about the issues with shift working. 

With Bobby’s help, Buck had managed to work out a pattern that allowed him to remain with his shift, though he wouldn’t be working full-time hours. Maddie had also scheduled some time to watch Alice, refusing to allow her brother to decline her offer, by telling him it was her aunt-given right. For the first time since Alice’s birth, Buck felt as though everything was starting to fall into place. 

Buck’s first official shift from his parental leave was much different than his return from the lawsuit. As he entered the building, he was met with greetings by other members of his shift who had heard about the reason for his leave through the grapevine. As he walked up the steps, his friends stood by the table, a cake waiting. Buck shook his head, biting back a smile at the fact he finally felt welcomed, a feeling he hadn’t held for months. 

“You guys are crazy.” He said, as Bobby walked to him and placed a reassuring hand on his arm. 

“Welcome home, Buck.” 

( - - - )

  
  


It was after his accepted return that he had agreed to attend his first gathering at the Nash-Grant household in months. He felt no need to lie, to make up an excuse to avoid seeing his family. Instead, children and partners were all invited, which meant that Alice would be introduced to absolutely everyone for the first time. It would be the first full gathering of many, though Alice would never remember the time. 

Almost thirty minutes into everyone arriving, Bobby looked from his position in the kitchen towards those he considered family. Maddie, Hen, and Karen were speaking just outside the patio doors. Michael and Eddie were at the table, and he could see Eddie glancing to where Christopher and Buck were sitting. Christopher was playing with Denny and Harry, whilst Buck and May sat together with Alice sleeping soundly in her carrier. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, though he knew that May and Harry had missed the energetic firefighter during his absence. 

“It’s good to have everyone here,” Athena said, as she joined her husband. She followed his gaze to see Buck and May laughing. “You haven’t been midnight baking. Not since we got our boy back.”

Bobby let out a small chuckle at her description, as he brought his arm around her shoulders, holding her close. 

“There’s still some way to go.” He told her quietly. “But I think we are making progress.”

As they waited for the dinner to finish cooking, Bobby and Athena stood together overlooking those who were in their home. They had been brought together for a reason, and they both knew how important it would be to keep them all in place. They only moved in order to bring out the food from the oven and rest the vegetables as everyone started to gather. Within no time at all, they were sat together, music playing softly.

Bobby watched as Christopher said something to Buck quietly, which caused him to laugh, bumping Eddie on the shoulder as the man leaned towards his son and best friend to find out what was going on. Athena glanced towards him, a knowing look on her features, as they looked back together at the three of them. There had always been a connection, Alice may be the key to finally bring them to a place of understanding. 

As Bobby reached for his glass of water, he knew that Buck would never forget the person who had given him a new purpose. When Buck and Ali had broken up, Bobby had taken his pseudo son’s side. He silently sent a prayer for Ali, hoping that she had found peace, and would be proud at the way Buck was coping. Alice would never know her mother in person, but they would ensure she would be aware of her legacy. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta'd by the lovely Nilshki. 
> 
> The final chapter is written but needs a few edits. I hope you enjoy this overly-sweet chapter. Still so much to resolve, but everything takes time.


	10. Resolved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One Year Later

There had been a few changes since the aftermath of Alice’s birth. Buck felt as though he had matured instantly the day he had held her for the first time. As the months progressed, it was the support of his additional family that had gotten him through each day. He no longer felt alone, or as though he was a burden. The Buckley siblings had found a true family - a dream they had both held long ago. 

It had taken several months for the relationship between Bobby and Buck to transition from tense to even better than it had been long before the lawsuit. Each time Buck had attempted to thank his captain for his support, Bobby would reply that they were a family. Athena had continued to support Buck, and the two Buckleys found themselves spending many meals at the Grant-Nash household throughout each month. Little Alice had become used to being around her additional family. 

Life at the 118 station had become clearer, the  camaraderie back in full force. Buck no longer felt as though he needed to hide away from the team. He still had his moments of recklessness, he still needed to be reined in, but everyone had times they needed assistance. It had been over a year since he had attempted to sue the organization, and he could finally stop reliving the moment he had decided to betray his family. They were together, just as they always should be, and could put it behind them. 

Almost a year had passed since the arrival of Alice Buckley. Whilst she spent the day bonding with her Aunt Maddie, her father was hard at work. They had been able to finish most of Bobby’s lasagne before being turned out by the alarms. The scene was routine, two vehicles who had crashed, with one of the drivers trapped. Bobby fell into captain mode, as he turned to his team. 

“Hen, Chim driver, and passengers of the truck. We’ll let you know when the other driver is free.” There were nods, as they moved off. “Buck, we’re gonna need the jaws for this.” 

“Got’em cap,” Buck replied as he unpacked the equipment from the truck. Swinging them over his shoulder, he and Eddie continued with their conversation as they worked to try and free the woman. “I just don’t want her to resent me for not making her day special.” 

Eddie gave a stare towards the other man before he tried to open the wedged door. They needed no words as they worked in sync, a true sign of how long they had worked together all this time. 

“Buck, Alice is going to be one. She isn’t going to remember her birthday. She’s gonna be just as happy with the cake she can throw on the floor, snuggles from her daddy and shiny wrapping paper to play with.”

Buck finally managed to release the door, as they pulled it open. In no time at all, they were joined by Hen, who took over ensuring the driver wasn’t injured. The two firefighters wandered back to see where else they could be of assistance. 

“I just want her to know that she is loved,” Buck said. 

“Trust me, Alice will never question whether you love her, Buck,” Eddie told him sincerely. “Just spend some time with her. She may not remember, but you will, and it’s those memories you will cherish.” 

The relationship between Buck and Eddie had also improved greatly. It was no longer the two of them with Christopher, they were now expected to wrangle two children during their adventures outside of work. It was not uncommon for the four of them to visit the local park, or go to the zoo, or just chill at a respective home to watch movies (and, in Alice's case more recently, to scoot around causing mischief). 

( - - - )

_ It had occurred once more that past Christmas.  _

_ Eddie and Buck had teamed up, taking Christopher and baby Alice to see Santa during a day off work. It was not unusual for them to venture together, for Buck did not want Christopher to feel as though Alice would replace him in his heart. For Buck, he adored the two children equally. Eddie had left to take Christopher to the bathrooms, leaving Buck to finish strapping Alice back into her pram.  _

_ The same elf from a few years before approached him, just as smiley as she had been.  _

_ “I’m so pleased you added to your family!” She said as she looked towards Alice. The baby kicked out her legs in joy, pleased she was receiving attention. “You have such beautiful children.” _

_ “Thank you.” _

  
  


( - - - )

Buck knew that Alice would have been thoroughly spoiled by her biological aunt that day, which is why he wasn’t surprised at the sight of a new toy on the coffee table when he arrived home. He smiled, shaking his head, as he shrugged off his jacket. Alice stood in her playpen, balancing on the plastic, with a smile that resembled her father’s. She had started to pull herself up, and he was starting to dread the day she would be able to run away from him with no fear of the world around her. 

Maddie came into view, just as Buck lifted Alice into his arms. He bounced her a few times as she squealed out ‘da...da...da’ a few times. A relatively new development, which caused Buck to feel joy every single time he heard her use the word. Alice placed one of her hands on his cheek, and he grabbed it gently and tickled her, earning another squeal of joy. 

“So, did Eddie talk you out of your plans for Alice’s birthday?” Maddie said, a smirk growing on her features as her brother earnt red cheeks. 

“How did you know I would ask him?” His question earned him a ‘why do you even think’ stare, as she walked towards them. 

“How did I know you would ask your co-parent?” Maddie questioned, raising an eyebrow in relation to him starting any protests. Buck fell silent, allowing his sister to continue. “Buck, he’s as much a father to Alice as you are to Christopher. Remember last month when both you and Alice came down with a fever? He looked after both of you without any questions. He’s the first person you send videos of Alice when she does something cute or breaks a milestone… that’s only if he isn’t with you at the time. You know he is the only one of the guys you don’t refer to as being her uncle? If anyone was going to show you that Alice just needed her family around her for her first birthday, it would be him.”

Buck let out a startled laugh, as he held Alice close to him. She has started to play with his hair, her blue eyes full of excitement. He had never told Maddie of the conversation he had shared with Eddie when they had started to make amends. It had been a conversation the two had never spoken about again. Attempting to move on from those thoughts, Buck turned back to Maddie. 

“So, what else have you brought?” Buck said, nodding towards a bag he spotted on his couch. A gentle smile spread across Maddie’s face as she reached for the bag. She took out a white baby onesie, placing it close to her chest, as she turned to face him. 

“It’s a little big for her now.” Maddie started “but I thought she could grow into it. After all, she won’t need it for about seven months.”

She turned the onesie around, and Buck read the purple-coloured words on the fabric. 

“World’s Best Cousin”

For a moment, Buck took in the words. Cousin? … as he put two and two together, Buck had to ensure he kept hold of Alice. After the trauma, his sister had suffered at the hands of Doug, and the new life she was creating with Chim, she deserved as much happiness as possible. 

“Mads… are you sure?”

Maddie nodded, as she reached out to smooth her niece’s hair. 

“I’m eight weeks along. Chim and I are going to keep it to ourselves for longer, but he knows I’m telling you. We promised no more secrets.”

The two embraced Alice between them. The three Buckleys sharing the moment of happiness, which neither sibling had ever expected to find. 

( - - - )

As Maddie left to spend time with Chim, Buck prepared dinner for Alice. His thoughts drifted back to earlier - about what Maddie had said about the relationship between him, Eddie, Christopher, and Alice. He had thought about nothing else since that moment. A few weeks had passed, causing Buck to wonder about the brief conversation they had before he had moved into his new apartment. Neither had brought up the topic since, allowing the other to go at a slow pace. Yet, as he thought about their interaction over the past year, Buck could already see how important Eddie and Christopher had become to Alice. 

Alice would stop fussing the moment her father - or Eddie held her. Alice would stop crying the moment her father - or Eddie held her. She had taken her first wobbling steps (holding onto the sofa’s edge) to try and reach where Christopher had been playing. The four of them had spent their time between Buck’s apartment and the Diaz home since the two adults had finally started to trust each other once more. 

As Buck kissed Alice’s head and watched as she started to play with the food he had placed in the tray in front of her, he took out his cell. Eddie had made a lot of sense. Heck, he knew that Eddie was right. Alice would be happy with new toys, and being near her family. As he made his call, he waited for Eddie to answer. Before giving him any room to speak more than a greeting, Buck spoke himself. 

“Do you remember asking me whether I would date again? I said that I needed some time to focus on Alice, and if I find the right person when I am ready, I would see how it goes? Buck paused ever so slightly to take a slight breath - as though he was making sure that this was what he wanted. 

"I just wanted to let you know - I’m ready when you are.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter has been looked over by an amazing beta.
> 
> Soooo. it's finally over?! Who knew that a small, less than 1000 word one shot would turn into this. With an open ending, anything is truly possible. I hope you enjoyed the fic, and know that somewhere in this AU the Buckley-Diaz fam are as adorable as ever. 
> 
> Thank you so much for all your kind words, kudos and support. I have so many ideas for future stories. Who knows? Maybe we shall be seeing Alice once more.


End file.
